Loose-leaf holder.



PATENTED JULY 24, 1906.

2 A. FAIFER. LOOSE LEAF HOLDER.

APPLIUATIOI II'LBD AUG. 5.1906.

m: Nam": PITIRS cm, ultimately. a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTHONY FAIFER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE'CHESROVVN- FAIFERCO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

LOOSE-LEAF HOLDER.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24,1906.

Application filed August 5. 1905. Serial No. 272.815.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANTHONY FAIF R, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Holders, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to clamps or bind ers for holding loose sheets orleaves, and it has more especial reference to that class of such devicesin which two covers are employed and are hinged together by means of aspring-hinge which serves as a clamp for holding the leaves in place.

The primary object of the invention is to provide improved and efiicientmeans whereby the clamping portion of the device may be made to stayopen when desired for replacing the same with leaves or for otherpurposes.

The invention consists in thefeatures of novelty which will now bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings, and moreparticuarly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a plan or top view of a loose-leafholder embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof, showingthe device in its open position in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an inside viewof the open one of the covers and showing a portion of its hinge. Fig. 5is an enlarged detail view of the means for locking or holding the clampin its open position, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section on theline 6 6, Fig. 1.

1 2 are respectively the top and bottom covers between which the sheetsare placed, as usual. The top cover is preferably a little shorter thanthe bottom one and has a free or independent hinge, so that it may bereadily opened for using the device in writing upon the leaves. Thishinge is shown as consisting of a bar or pintle 3 and two hingeleaves 45. The hinge-leaf 4 is secured to the inner face of the cover 1 by spurs6 struck inwardly therefrom, as shown in Fig. 6, the extremity of theleaf 4 being turned around the edges of the cover 1 and lapped on its uper face, as shown at 7, this extremity also aving a fastenin device orspur 8. The leaf 4 is formed wit hinge-lugs 9, which register withhinge-lugs 10 on the leaf 5, and the leaf 5 constitutes one member ofthe main hinge or clamp, which serves to press the lugs 10 firmlyagainst the leaves resting upon the cover 2, and thereby prevents theirwithdrawal until the hinge-leaf 5 is opened with respect to itscompanion hinge-leaf 11, which is rigidly secured at one edge to thecover 2 in any suitable way and is provided at its opposite edge withhinge-lugs 12 13 14, which register with companion lugs 15 16 17 on theleaf 5, so that a pintle-bar 18, passing through all of theselugs,completes the hinge-clamp. As shown in Fig. 1, the hinge-lugs 9 areshorter than the spaces between the hingelugs 10, so that the hinge-leaf5 will be capable of longitudinal movement on the bar 18, and thehinge-lugs 12 and 17 it will be seen, are provided with notches 19 20,respectively, While the adjacent lugs 14. 15 are provided with teeth 2122, adapted to engage in said notches when the notches and teeth comeinto register.

The hinge-leaf 5 is pressed continually toward the spaces between thelugs 9 10 by means of a spring 23, coiled upon the pintle 18 and bearingat its ends against the lugs 13 and 16, respectively, so that when thehingeleaf 5 is not otherwise restrained it will move longitudinally ofthe pintle 18 a distance equal to the spaces between the lugs 9 10, Thisoperation or action will occur, it will be seen, when the hinge-leaf 5of the clamp is opened far enough, as shown in the dotted lilies in Fig.2, to bring the teeth 21 and 22 opposite the respective notches 19 20,and consequently when this takes place the clamp will be held openagainst the closing tendency of the means for pressing the mainhingeleaves 9 together, such means in this instance consisting of twocoil-springs 24, sleeved on the rod 18 and having lugs 25 26 engagingwith the hinge-leaves 5 11, respectively.

WVhen the clamp is thus held in its open position by the teeth andnotches, a little additional pressure upon the top thereof will cause itto snap closed and clamp the paper placed thereunder, the angle of theteeth and notches being such as to be capable of resisting the closingtendency of the springs 24, while avoiding the production of a positiveloc Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a device for the purposedescribed,

the combination of a clamp, comprising hinged members, covers secured tosaid members, one of said members being movable longitudinally inrelation to the other member, interlocking means carried by the members,and a spring for moving the members longitudinally to force said lockingmeans into engagement when one of the members is moved about its pivot.

2. In a device for the purpose described the combination of a clampcomprising two members movable relatively, transversely andlongitudinally, me ans for yieldingly pressing said members together,interlocking teeth and notches on said members respectively a spring formoving the members longitudinally to cause the teeth and notches toengage and covers between which to hold the sheets.

3. In a device for the purpose described the combination of a clampcomprising two members, a pintle or bar hinging said members together,one of said members being movable about the aXis of said bar and alsolongitudinally thereof, and said members being provided with aninterlocking tooth and a notch for holding them open, a spring on saidbar for moving said movable member longitudinally thereof toward theother member and forcing said tooth into said notch, and coversconnected with said members respectively. In witness whereof I havehereunto set my hand, this 1st day of August, 1905, in the presence ofthe subscribing witnesses.

ANTHONY FAIFER.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS A. HoPKINs, OHAs. H. SEEM.

